Hyderabad (Telangana): Seventeen people lost their lives early Sunday morning in a devastating fire at a building in Gulzar House, near Charminar in Hyderabad. The building housed a jewellery store, Krishna Pearls, along with residential apartments above it.
According to the Telangana Fire Disaster Response Emergency and Civil Defence, 21 people were inside the building when the blaze erupted.
Director General of Telangana Fire Services, Y Nagi Reddy, stated:
“There was a fire incident in Krishna Pearls shop and the residential complex in Gulzar House area. The Fire department received the call at 6:16 am and dispatched 11 fire engines with sufficient staff by 6:17 am… The fire department used breathing operators and oxygen masks to rescue the people… The information is that 17 people could not survive… The preliminary examination shows that the cause was a short circuit…”
He noted the structural limitations that hampered rescue efforts:
“There was no deficiency in the fire department fighting the fire and rescuing the people… The building had only one entryway of two metres, like a tunnel. There is only one staircase of one metre to access the first and second floors. This made the escape and rescue operation very difficult. By 9 am, the fire was under control… A total of 21 people were inside the building… The cause of death is smoke inhalation; nobody had burn injuries.”
Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy expressed deep grief over the incident and took swift action. He ordered that injured victims be shifted to nearby hospitals and receive the best medical care. The CM also spoke to Minister Ponnam Prabhakar and instructed the intensification of rescue operations.
As per a statement from the Telangana Chief Minister’s Office, the CM:
“…expressed condolences to the victim’s families on the phone and assured them of all assistance from the government. Director General of Disaster Management and Fire Services Nagi Reddy has been asked to closely monitor relief operations…”
Minister Ponnam Prabhakar, speaking to the press, confirmed the rapid response of emergency teams:
“The fire broke out around 6 am, and by 6:16 am, the fire department of the Telangana government was present at the spot. They tried to save everyone. But the fire had spread massively… The majority of the people inside the building have died. The Chief Minister has spoken to the family (who were living in the building that caught fire). The state government will fully support the family.”
He further promised future preventive measures:
“We will conduct a thorough review to ensure fire safety and avoid any such incidents in the future. The public also has to support the fire department in this.”
Congress MP Anil Kumar Yadav, who was also monitoring the situation on the ground, said:
“… 17 members of a family were stuck in the fire accident. The fire department reached here immediately… The Chief Minister is in touch with the family members. Ponnam Prabhakar and all of us are monitoring the rescue operation here. We are now going to the hospital to check on the injured…”